Cleat assembly for athletic shoes



Dec. 17, 1946.,

F. V IETAS ETAL CLEAT ASSEMBLY FOR ATHLETIC SHOES Filed Dec. 13, 1945 I fl/ are/twdwr Patented Dec. 17, 1946 GLEAT ASSEMBLY FOR. ATHLETIC SHOES Frank Vietas, Bedford, and Frank L. Gardner, Somerville, Mass, assignors to A. R. Hyde & Sons Company, Cambridge, Mass, a corporationof Massachusetts Application December 13, 1945, Serial No. 634,733

(01. sea-2.5)

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a cleat assembly for athletic shoes, and more particularly for football shoes. Cleats for football shoes are customarily of frusto-conical shape and are removably secured to the soles of the shoes. Cleats of this kind are subjected to severe stresses when in use owing to the strenuous manner in which football games are customarily played. Hence it is important that the structure be strong at the points where stresses are severe. It is also important that the cleats be firmly secured in place, since cleats that work loose and come off are liable to cause delays, to be a source of. annoyance to the wearer, and possibly to result in injury to other players.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved assembly for securing football cleats to shoes in such a manner that they can be easily secured to the shoes or removed for replacement, will stay in place while in service, and are less liable to failure than the cleat assemblies previously available.

For a more. complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the description of an embodiment thereof which follows, and to the drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of afootball shoe on which a number of cleats are mounted;

Figure2 is a bottom plan view of the ball portion of the same;

Figure 3 is a. fragmentary section on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4. is an exploded perspective view of several parts of a cleat assembly.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail of. the nut of Fig ure 3.

As shown in Figure l, a football shoe Ill is customarily provided with a pluralityof cleats l2 which are usually of frusto-conical form, the bases being secured against the outer surface of the outer sole M of the. shoe. According to the present. invention, bolts 16 are mounted on the shoe to receive and support the cleats, each bolt having a flat head l8 which is preferably thin so that it can readily be driven flush with the inner surface of the innersole 20. Between the vides greater rigidity and strength to this por= tion of the shoe sole with relatively little increase of weight. The plate 22 is provided with holes 24 through which the bolts [6 extend. Next to the head l8, the bolt 16 has an unthreaded shank on the bolt.

2 portion 26 of substantial diameter with a fillet [9 at the junction of the head andv shanik forstrength. This portion of the shank is of sufficient length to extend through the innersole 2i) and the plate 22. If desired, it can also extend a part or all of the way through the outer sole [4. Beyond the unthreaded portion is a threaded portion 28 of reduced diameter. This portion projects a substantial distance from the outer sole I4 to receive the cleat l2 thereon.

In order to secure the bolt firmly on'the shoe, a. plurality of prongs 30 extend from the head I8 through the innersole 20. These prongs are preferably longer than the thickness of the innersole so that the ends of the prongs clinch against the steel plate 22 when the bolts are driven into place. On the projecting threaded shank portion 28 of the bolt is a nut 32 which is preferably in the form of a thin disc having a flat face bearing against the outer surface of the outer sole [4, when the nut is set up tightly on the threaded shank 28. If desired, the nut may be provided with one or more marginal holes 34 through which tacks may be driven into the outer sole to retain the nut against rotation but ordinarily such tacks will not be necessary. The nut 32 is provided on its opposite face with a central reinforcing boss having a circular portion 35 anda superposed thicker polygonal portion 38 adapted to receive a wrench by which the nut can be rotated on the shank 28. A thin circular fin 39 may also be formed on the nut. This fin can be pressed or spun in against the shank of the bolt after the nut has been set up thereon as indicated in Figure 3. This helps to prevent the nut from working loose The outer face of the nut 32 surrounding the boss 36 is preferably knurled so that when a cleat I2 is screwed on to the shank 28 until its base of the cleat bears strongly against theface of the nut, the. knurling will lock with the. base. and prevent the cleat. from working loose.

As indicated in Figure 3, the cleat is made with a deep central recess 43 extending in from the base end of the cleat. An internally threaded member 42 is embedded in the cleat within this recess, the member 42 being adapted for threaded engagement with the shank 28 of the bolt.

If desired, a spring washer 44 may be interposed between the nut 32 and the cleat I2 as shown in Figure 4, this spring washer is preferably provided with a central aperture 45 which is polygonal in shape so as to fit over the polygonal portion 38 of the boss on the nut. This effectively prevents relative rotation between the spring washer 44 and the nut 32. As shown in Figure 4 the washer is made with a series of peripheral fingers 48 but the washer may be made with a circular periphery if preferred. The washer is preferably knurled on its outer face so that when the cleat is set up on the threaded shank 28 of the bolt, the base of the cleat will bear against the knurling on the washer and will thus be held against loosening.

We claim:

1. An assembly for an athletic shoe cleat, comprising a bolt having a flat head with prongs adapted to penetrate the innersole, a nut threaded on said bolt, said nut having the form of a thin disc with a flat face adapted to bear against the outer sole and a central boss on the opposite face, said boss having a relatively thin,

circular portion reinforcing said disc and a superposed thicker polygonal portion to receive a wrench.

2. An assembly for an athletic shoe cleat, comprising a bolt having a flat head with prongs adapted to penetrate the innersole, a nut threaded on said bolt, said nut having the form of a thin disc with a flat face adapted to bear against the outer sole and a central boss on the opposite face, said boss having a relatively thin circular portion reinforcing said disc and a superposed thicker polygonal portion to receive a wrench, the surface of said opposite face around said boss being knurled.

3. An assembly, for an athletic shoe cleat, comprising a bolt having a flat disc head with prongs adapted to penetrate the innersole of a shoe, said bolt having an unthreaded shank portion extending from the head for a distance greater than the thickness of said innersole and a threaded shank portion of reduced diameter, and a nut threaded on said bolt, said nut having the form of a thin disc with one face adapted to bear against the outer sole of the shoe and a polygonal boss n the other face to receive a wrench.

4. In combination with an athletic shoe having an innersole, an outer sole and a stiff metal plate between said soles, a cleat assembly comprising a bolt extending through said soles and plate and projecting out beyond the outer sole,

said bolt having a fiat head substantially flush with the inner surface of the innersole and a plurality of prongs extending from said head through the innersole to clinch against said plate, a nut threaded on the projecting portion of said shank and bearing against said outer sole, and a cleat having a central recess with a threaded member therein in threaded engage-- ment with said shank.

5. In combination with an athletic shoe having an innersole, an outer sole, and a stiff metal plate between said soles, a cleat assembly comprising a bolt having a fiat disc head with a face substantially flush with the free surface of the innersole and prongs projecting from said head through said innersole and clinched against said plate, said bolt having a threaded shank portion projecting from the outer sole, a nut threaded on said shank, said nut having a thin disc portion bearing against the outer sole and a polygonal boss to receive a wrench, and a cleat having a nut embedded therein and in threaded portion of the shank being threaded and of reduced diameter, a'plurality of prongs extending from said head through the innersole to clinch against said plate, a nut on said threaded shank set up against the outer sole, said nut having a knurled outer face, and a cleat with a central recess therein containing an internally threaded member in threaded engagement withv said shank, said cleat being set up on said shank so that its base bears against the knurled faceiof said nut. I

7. In combination with an athletic shoe having an innersole, an outer sole and a stiff metal plate between the soles, a bolt extending through said soles and plate and projecting out beyond the outer sole, said bolt having a fiat head substantially. flush with the inner faceof the innersole, an unthreaded shank portion extending through said innersole and plate, the projecting portion of the shank being threaded and of reduced diameter, a plurality of prongs extending from said head through the innersole to clinch against said plate, a nut on said threaded shank set up against the outer sole, said nut having the form of a disc with a polygonal boss on its outer face to receive a wrench,.a spring washer bearing against the outer face of the nut, said Washer having a polygonal aperture fitting said boss, and a cleat having a central to be flush with the inner surface of the innerrecess having therein a "threaded member in threaded engagement with said shank.

8. An assembly for an athletic shoe cleat, comprising a bolt having a fiat disc head adapted sole of a shoe, said bolt having an unthreaded shank portion adjacent to the head and a threaded shank portion of reduced diameter adapted to project beyond the outer sole of the 5 shoe, and a nut in threaded engagement with said shank, said nut having the form of a thin disc with a central reinforcing boss on one face thereof having a polygonal portion to receive a wrench and a thin upstanding fin on the polygonal portion adapted to be pressed in against the shank of the bolt when thenut'is in place.

FRANK VIETASL FRANK L. GARDNER. 

